The present invention provides apparatus for distributing heat from a heat source relatively evenly over the bottom of a vessel to be heated.
When vessels used for cooking are placed on the heating element of a stove or another type of heat source, the size of the vessel often mismatches the size of the heat source. If the vessel is much larger than the heat source, heat is only provided at the center of the vessel, and the contents of the vessel may be unevenly heated. This is a particular problem when dishes are to be simmered for a long time at low heat because that portion of the dish at the center of the vessel may be overheated and even scorched while little or no heat may be provided to the reminader of the dish. On the other hand, when a vessel is small relative to the heat source, the heat provided by the heat source beyond the periphery of the vessel is wasted. Such waste of heat energy is a problem not only with electric and gas ranges, but with other types of heat sources such as wood, charcoal and the like in which much of the heat energy is lost.
A device for deflecting heat from a heat source relatively evenly over the bottom of a vessel to be heated is disclosed in my copending patent application entitled HEAT DEFLECTOR, Ser. No. 736,981, filed Oct. 29, 1976, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,059,092, which is herein incorporated by reference. However, the device described therein has been found to be difficult to manufacture because all the elements must be assembled as a completed unit. Moreover, since the elements are fixed together, the device is difficult to clean. Also, because the handle is integral to the device, the handle becomes heated when the device is used and must be handled with care.